Untold Story ║ Book 1 of The Untold series

Chapter 32 - Peaceful living

The day stretches ahead, seemingly brimming with the promise of a newfound peace. Jane's presence fills my thoughts, her warm eyes and soft lips imprinted in my memory. Our stolen kisses had been an intoxicating taste of what it meant to be close to her, and the desire to touch her, to be hers, consumed me.

We gather as a group, sharing in each other's company, the camaraderie bringing a sense of comfort and belonging. My eyes, however, can't help but stray back to Jane, the magnetism between us stronger than ever.

Our stolen moments are interrupted when Zane approaches me, a look of concern etched across his face. Without uttering a word, he motions for me to follow him outside the tent. I do so, my heart quickening with a sense of foreboding.

"What's wrong, Zane?" I inquire as we step away from the others.

"I think they found out about our plan," Zane admits, his voice heavy with worry. He's referring to our hidden stash of supplies, the security we've ensured for our little group.

"No, they haven't," I insist, wanting to believe that we've been discreet enough to avoid detection. "They would have approached us by now."

Zane seems reassured, but his unease lingers. "When should we tell the others?"

I contemplate our options, then nod. "We can do it now." It's a decision made out of necessity, as we can't afford to keep secrets that might endanger the group's cohesion.

As Zane heads back into the tent, an impulse strikes me to confide in him about the developments between Jane and me. I want him to know, to understand that my intentions are driven by respect, and that my feelings for her are genuine.

"Zane," I call after him.

He turns to look at me, his eyes curious.

"I kissed Jane," I admit, a weight lifted from my shoulders.

A grin spreads across Zane's face. "It was about time, don't you think? I mean, it only took a whole apocalypse for you two to acknowledge your feelings."

"So, it's cool?"

"It's more than cool," he assures me, affirming his support for the budding connection between Jane and me.

We reenter the tent and gather our family, sharing with them the news of our secret stash of supplies. Surprisingly, they take it well, understanding the reasons behind our actions. The weight of our secret finally lifted, we can all rest a bit easier, free from the burden of undisclosed truths.

*****

I wake up to the dull pain in my shoulder, a reminder of the fallen shelf. Groggily, I rise from my bed, noticing that everyone has already set off for their respective chores, likely handed down by General Hargrove, whose leadership left much to be desired. To me, he was nothing more than an inept wannabe leader.

The camp buzzed with activity, children of Joel's age running around, laughter filling the air. Greetings were exchanged as I strolled through the camp, past the bustling community members. They all seem so happy here. My destination, the nurse station.

As I approach the nurse station, I couldn't help but notice the figure of a woman standing there. A flash of recognition, and I realized it was Sergeant Vera Thorne. We exchanged casual greetings, our conversation easygoing. Her demeanor was far from the stern authority figure I had perceived before. Our conversation comes to an end as I continued toward the nurse station, where I assumed Jane would be. My heart lifted at the thought of seeing her, especially after our shared moments in the tent. Little did I know that a surprise awaited me within.

But before I could step inside, my path was blocked by the presence of Nurse Alice. I couldn't hide my disappointment, as Alice was the last person I wanted to encounter at this moment.

I decided to ask about Jane's whereabouts. Her response struck a chord within me, a deep sense of unease creeping in. Jane had been with General Hargrove for the past few days, a revelation that left me concerned, uncertain of what that could entail.

Suppressing the emotions that welled up within, I nodded my thanks and turned away, my mind fraught with questions and a growing unease. General Hargrove's intentions had always been dubious, and now, with Jane involved, my suspicions were raised to an even higher degree.

I am not able to find Jane, so i decide to try my luck with finding Joel. as i walk around in the camp, in search of Joel, i remember back to the time Zane told me he got his girlfriends pregnant. i remember how devastated he was, when she just left one random wednesday, short after giving birth.

i also remember how much joy Joel brought Zane throughout the years. Joel has also grown close to me, i always try to spoil him wherever i can, because i can relate to the absence of a mother.

As I continued my quest to locate Joel, I couldn't help but wonder about Jane's sudden absence. General Hargrove's involvement in her activities only fueled my sense of unease. I hoped that whatever she was doing with him didn't put her in harm's way.

My wandering eventually led me to a group of children playing near a makeshift playground. Among them, I spotted Joel. His infectious happiness was a welcome sight, and I couldn't help but smile as I approached him.

"Hey there, champ," I greeted Joel with a playful ruffle of his hair.

Joel beamed up at me, his young eyes filled with admiration. "Uncle Thomas!"

I crouched down to his level, our faces close. "What's going on, little buddy? Having fun?"

Joel nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! The other kids are nice, and I made a new friend named Lily."

"Wow, that's great," I replied, genuinely pleased for him. "I'm glad to hear you're having a good time."

Joel's innocent joy brought a sense of warmth to my heart, momentarily easing my concerns about Jane. In this camp, among new friends, I hoped that Joel would continue to find happiness in these times.

After a while of chatting and playing with Joel and his new friend, my thoughts inevitably circled back to Jane. The mystery of her whereabouts and her involvement with General Hargrove continued to gnaw at me. I couldn't help but wish for her safe return, whatever she was doing with the enigmatic leader of this camp.

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Word count : 1045

By night-ed

Book one : Untold Story

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